Phishing

What is phishing? 

Phishing is when someone pretends to be a trusted company or person to trick you into giving away personal information, such as your passwords, credit card details, or other private stuff.

These scams usually show up in your e-mail, but they can also come through text messages or phone calls. Phishing messages often look real, with familiar logos and names. They’ll try to make you react quickly, like saying you need to reset your password or confirm your account immediately. 

Examples of phishing e-mails

• An e-mail claiming to be from Unisa’s IT department, requesting you to log in to update your account information.
• A message from a popular online service (eg Takealot, Amazon) asking you to "verify" a purchase you never made.
• An e-mail from a professor or colleague asking for urgent help with purchasing gift cards. 

How to spot and avoid phishing

• Look for suspicious URLs or e-mail addresses that don’t match the official source (eg www.unisa.co.za - incorrect; www.unisa.ac.za - correct)
• Be careful of generic greetings like "Dear User" or unexpected requests. 
• Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited e-mails - rather go directly to the organisation’s website. 
• Use anti-phishing tools provided by your e-mail provider or antivirus software.